3. Italian Terrace Garden

Throughout the island’s east-west axis are the Italian Terrace Garden and the French Le Notre-style Garden. The Italian Terrace garden became popular during the Renaissance, generally built on the hills in the outskirts to meet the desire of the rich and powerful for the outdoor life in the scenic environment.

Layers of terraces shape elegant noble life

To fit the mountainous terrain of the Apennines Peninsula, the terrace garden adopts the layout of continuous layers of terraces, which also brings attractive effect for the garden. Landform determines the arrangement of the garden’s important axes. In early mansion, each layer of terrace had its single axis but there was no axis to link all terraces. The central axis throughout the entire garden appeared in middle stage. Meanwhile, waterscape, statue and so on were arranged on the axis to enrich the garden’s axis.

  Italian Terrace Garden (I)

When designing the Italian Terrance Garden, we selected the part of Villa Palazzina Farnese, one of three villas in the peak of Roman villa building, as the main skeleton. The garden adopts the central axis symmetric layout. A wide gentle slope from the platform to the viewing corridor constitutes the garden’s central axis. Dolphin cascade fountains lines on both sides of the centipede-shaped stone sinks, which constitutes a series of cascade water landscape. The second layer is an elliptical square. The curved steps on both sides of the square surround a transparent water-spraying ball that jets water to the central water tray. There is a huge water bowl in the center, from which the curtain-style waterfall flows down to the water tray. Two Achelous statues respectively lean on the left side and the right side of the water bowl, with horns in their hands, guarding waterscape and the viewing corridor.

Flowers illustrate four love themes

  Italian Terrace Garden (II)

On both sides of the gentle slope is “Garden of Love” of the Villandry Castle that illustrates people's emotional lives by flowers and shows four love themes. The pattern of “Sad Love” is the cutting edge of a dagger or sword used when men fight a duel. The red flowers in the middle of the pattern symbolize the blood splattered during the duel. The pattern of “Tender Love” consists of many heart-shaped designs -- the symbol of tender love. The pattern of “Flaming Love” is heart-shaped but many broken “hearts”. As to the pattern of "Frivolous Love”, fans in the four corners symbolize frivolity. The ox horns among the fans stand for false love. Buxus-Arten hedge constitutes plant flowerbed. Two horse sculptures make the garden lively. The low walls on both sides of the garden limit the space and function as benches too. There are sixteen statue columns on the walls. Fine work, flowing water, and geometric plants show all garden’s classic elements.

  Layout of Italian Terrace Garden